Commuters across India faced travel delays on Saturday morning as drivers on ride-hailing apps led a major strike. The day-long agitation has sent fares skyrocketing in some areas while others saw their wait times expand with no vehicle in sight. Workers have flagged several concerns including low fare rates, declining earnings and safety concerns for their protest.
Several unions, including the Indian Gig Workers Front and the Baghtoy Rickshaw Union, issued the call for drivers (linked to platforms such as Ola, Uber and Rapido) to stay off the road last week. The unions describe it as a protest over “illegal operations and fare-related issues”.
Key hubs including Mumbai, Delhi-NCR and Bengaluru experienced a slowdown on Saturday as many drivers refused to ferry passengers.
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Keshav Kshirsagar, who heads both unions, stated to The Indian Express, “Aggregators are operating illegally, and they should get a valid license…And more importantly, the RTO-approved fares are not followed by the aggregators…Also, bike taxis are operational in some parts of Mumbai which should be stopped with strict implementation.”
What was impacted?
The disruption impacted more in places where app-based rides are primary options. The Indian Express report flagged potential inconvenience at major points such as Pune airport, where app bookings through the Aeromall are usually used. Commuters are facing problems as drivers are seeking fares higher than app displays, autos are asking for meter rates instead of app pricing.
Kshirsagar also mentioned that metered autos are not connected to aggregator apps would continue to reduce passengers’ inconvenience, as reported by The Indian Express. Some unions, however, indicated that they may keep services operating while pursuing demands through talks. Varsha Shinde of Maa Saheb Cab Sanstha stated, “We would continue our services while putting forward our demands through talks,” as quoted by the Indian Express.
One driver from Delhi told IANS, that “I drive for both Ola and Uber, and we are on strike today because the companies’ rates are very low and there has been no increase in rates…”
Why are drivers protesting?
Beyond Maharashtra, unions have called for a wider push for transparent fares and regulation. The protest is described as an “All India Breakdown,” with unions alleging exploitation and lack of government-fixed fare systems for app-based workers. Prashant Sawardekar, founder-president of IFAT, told the Hindustan Times, “We are demanding the cancellation of the Aggregator Policy 2025 or the inclusion of important provisions in it. The strike is also against illegal bike-taxi services and the arbitrary fare-charging policies of companies like Ola, Rapido, and Uber.” He further added that, “For several months, cab and auto-rickshaw drivers have been raising these issues…yet no concrete action has been taken against firms that continue to openly flout official orders,” as quoted by The Hindustan Times.
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What about Bengaluru and Karnataka?
A six-hour log-out by app-based drivers has resulted t in visible disruption in Bengaluru’s high-demand areas, including Outer Ring Road, Whitefield, Kempegowda International Airport, and Electronic City. A commuter shared his distress on X on how cab fares have shot up during the strike, alleging Ola driver asked for an extra Rs 500 in the name of cab strike. |
